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🇮🇪 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Match Thread

This is the match of the weekend, demonstrating their new focus on defense, their new attack.Wales are defending champions, and looking for a ninth straight win.

Two changes for Ireland, one for Wales, mostly the same teams as last week.

Wales Ireland is always a loud crowd, going to be a fun day in

Roman Poite is today's referee, and we're kicked off at Aviva Stadium, Wales receive.

Ireland get the ball, drive hard down the left wing, force Wales ro carry the ball over the line. 5 metre scrum which Ireland turns in, granting Wales some reprieve. Biggar fails to find touch though and Ireland are back on attack.

Eight minutes gone and it's been three major assaults by Ireland, Wales only 30% possession so far, very eager Irish ball. Defense is good though. Passionate opeinng play.

Couple of turnovers from Wales, good contact and controlling the breakdown, Wales earns a penalty and Biggar finds touch around the Irish 22.

Bundee Aki strips the ball after a good Welsh lineout, Wales in at the wide and Ireland get to clear their lines from a penalty.

Aki makes a darting break with numbers on his left. Wales penalised for not relaeasing and although it's eminently kickable Irealnd opts for touch. Ireland try to pile on the pressure with a driving maul but Wales turn it over and it is swings and roundabouts all over at Aviva.

Sexton is not happy with Roman's finding but it's red scrum on the Welsh 5.

Josh Adams has gone off injured and McNicholl is on. Big blow for Wales.

Tomos fumbles from a lineout and it's gree scrum on the red five metre.

Five minutes to go until the halftime break in this passionate back and forth contest.

Woof. We are halftime in , probing, lively play from both teams this first half, but a general sense of quiet composure waiting for chances, with quick, short breaks wherever possible.

Fair to say won the first half, both in points and territory, will want to get their hands on the ball to engineer more opportunities in the second half.

Refresh your beverage of choice, back in ten. I foresee a violent second half.

jaz :twt: :wales_flag:

🏉 🇮🇪 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Welcome back to in windy .

Wales haven't had much ball but they've shown they don't need much to grab points. Ireland's defense will be tested this half, but expect a lot more ball in hand to avoid the wind and to diminish the turnovers.

COME ON WALES!

Sloppy ball from Wales, Biggar fumbles but regathers, then Tompkins makes another mistake, gifting Ireland a scrum. Larmour looks for distance but it's out on the full and Wales in possession.

Both Biggar and Henshaw are off for HIA.

Ireland steal a Welsh lineout and begin a concerted, composed set of phases attacking the line. Faletau comes in at the side so Ireland take a penalty which leads to a driving maul that goes to TMO for grounding.

Wales shovelling changes. Moriarty and Gareth Davies on. Tomos Williams and Wainwright off. Ireland looking to bring Kilcoyne on for Healy.

Biggar and Henshaw both fail their HIAs.

Penalty advantage to wales 10 metres out from the tryline. Wales knocking hard on the door.

Hadleigh Parkes picks a hole and thunders through grabbing a ball en route. It looks good but he loses control with half an inch to go, no try awarded. 50/50 call from Roman, the TMO video is not great but it's a dicey grounding. Scrum 5 to Ireland.

CJ Stander coughs up another penalty off his feet. Roman asks Sexton to have a word. Penalty Wales, scrum on the Irish 5.

Collapse. Reset. Scrum.

Collapse. Reset. Scrum.

Collapse.

Penalty... Ireland?

Rhys Carre comes on for Wyn Jones.

Ireland win their lineout comfortably.

The drive is on. Ireland have dominated the mauls today.

Hadleigh Parkes working hard for Wales this afternoon. Beautiful one hand offload with an Irishman on his back.

Wales chasing the clock now, desperate to get ball in hand but Ireland patient in their contact and clearly in charge of the game.

Ten minutes to go.

With one minute to go Roman Poite finally loses patience with CJ Stander and offers the man of the match a yellow card souvenir for his day out.

Wales have a chance to save some face in the closing seconds.

Ireland clean up and Wales scuppered most of their opportunities. Parkes' try not awarded took some steam out of the Dragon's lungs but Ireland forceful in the maul, the breakdown, and a surprisingly clean defense. Next up for Ireland is England, at Twickers and Wales welcome France to Cardiff.

Still plenty to see in this tournament. Next up is in Edinburgh.

@jaz

Poite decided of the match when he gave the third irish try.

@thedarky Ireland controlled the game, and I can't really question much of the decisions today. Not sure about Hadleigh's try but even with those points we weren't in the game much today.